My job was to identify financial discrepancies, document them, and escalate matters requiring independent review.

The Sterling Group was a major client.

It owned commercial properties, logistics businesses, and investment interests across several states.

Vanguard was involved in reviewing a proposed financing and merger arrangement scheduled for June fifteenth.

As part of that work, the team needed to verify liabilities, cash flow, related-party transactions, and material risks.

The assignment would have been complicated under ordinary circumstances.

It became considerably more awkward after I became engaged to Ethan Sterling.